Pabst clone?

[Shonuff]

Who didn't drink the crap out of Pabst in college? Does anyone have a clone recipe? The recipe would be worth its wait in gold.

 

[blacklab]

Are you sure you're in the right place?

 

[Rick_R]

Making Pabst Blue Ribbon


Rick

 

[Shonuff]

Are you sure you're in the right place?

Hey like the logo. I'm a University of Oregon grad. If you were too you would know what I'm talking about. Taylor's in-between classes with a frosty $1.50 Pabst. Good times

 

[DraconianHand]

It would cost you more in ingredients (not to mention time and effort) than it would to just purchase it.

Of course if you are trying to clone Pabst because you enjoy the challenge of brewing an ALL, then that is a different story.

 

[Grimsawyer]

Because of the HUGE enzymes of american 6-row you can use a buttload of adjuncts which most american light lagers have. Rice most likely. Also they are over filtered. Filtered to the point of not only filtering any micro organism out of the beer but filtering so aggressively they STRIP color and flavor as well. As if brewing with 50% rice wouldn't be flavorless enough. I think if you were serious about making a true american light lager, not only do you have to be beyond a sanatization NAZI but you have to filter your beer as aggressively as the big boys do then just force carbonate. morebeer.com has filter kits you can get. I'm sure some homebrew shops would too. I can't help you on that subject as I've never filtered beer. My advise would be filter as aggressively as you can and I think you'll be good to go! I am interested in your results. If you do make a pabst clone I'm curious on how good or bad it turns out. Hope I've been some help!

 

[blacklab]

Hey like the logo. I'm a University of Oregon grad. If you were too you would know what I'm talking about. Taylor's in-between classes with a frosty $1.50 Pabst. Good times

Yes, undergrad and masters from UO. Back then, it was all I could afford.

For 1.50 per pint(or less), and with a little practice homebrewing, you can make Mirror Pond or whatever your favorite beer is. Why Pabst? Tastes like moldy bread. Why go thru the hassle of making PBR? Just buy it.

 

[Grimsawyer]

Well, if you re-use yeast that wouldn't be a cost and 14lbs of grain would make a 3% beer, 10 GALLONS of 3% beer and how many hops would you use, what, 1oz? If you kegged and bought in bulk those 10 gallons of beer would be under $15.00! That's 8-12 packs. That's less than $1.90 a 12 pack of beer. Wouldn't be a bad lawnmower beer on a hot sunny day. Beats water and most likely has less calories than soda. And best of all it's homebrew!

 

[chemist308]

A Schmidt clone anyone?

 

[shafferpilot]

Don't worry about these guys, they're just scared to try to make a light, clean beer 'cause it'd make them feel inferior to BMC. JK

I've tried twice, and came up with some really good stuff, but still way too much flavor for the style. Plus, I go for higher ABV so I guess I'm not really trying to clone. Anyways:

Check the style guide for starters:

http://www.bjcp.org/2004_BJCP_Guidelines.pdf

Light american lagers have very little hop flavor so for the most part you'll only be bittering early in the boil. Use up to 40% rice in the grain bill. Don't bother paying the bucks at the LHBS. Instead just get a big bag of generic rice at the grocery. You need to cook the hell out of it by boiling it for half an hour or more. I like to put a little corn in there as well. That's more of a coors/miller thing. Again, don't bother spending $$ at the LHBS for this. Corn Flakes work great and have a little better flavor than flaked corn or corn grits. My most recent one is fermenting now and has half a pound of corn per 5 gallons. Lastly, listen to Jamil's program on American Pilsners. I love his just try it and try it again till you get what you want approach to unconventional homebrew:

http://www.thebrewingnetwork.com/archive/Jamil05-22-06.mp3

 

[DeathBrewer]

lol, that's pretty funny. to tell you the truth, PBR is the one BMC i'm still willing to drink. well, that and schlitz...just cuz it's like a hoppy PBR.

but as for brewing? it's too difficult for too crappy an end product. i'd suggest looking into a cream ale. it's an ale with the qualities of a lager...nice and crisp, refreshing and wonderful. Here's my recipe:

4 lbs - American 2-Row
2.5 lbs - Pilsener 2-Row
0.5 lbs - Vienna Malt
0.5 lbs - Munich Malt
1 lbs - Flaked Corn
1 lbs - Flake Wheat

1 oz - Hallertau (Bittering - 60 min)
1 oz - Saaz (Aroma - 1 min)

WLP080 Cream Ale Yeast Blend

listen to Jamil's podcast, too:

http://www.thebrewingnetwork.com/jamil.php

fantastic brew and close to what you're looking for without all the hassle

 

[EvilTOJ]

Ahhh how did I know it'd be someone from Oregon when I popped into the thread? PBR has a weird following around here. It's almost like the anti-craft beer crowd drinks it to say 'Yea we know there's good beer but we choose not to drink it, man'. It's also frickin cheap too.

Hey how bout that, there's a wikipedia entry!

 

[Revvy]

lol, that's pretty funny. to tell you the truth, PBR is the one BMC i'm still willing to drink.

The sportsbar across the street from me, where I congregate with my friends before and after our IHL team's hockey games, has a crappy beer selection BUT has 20 ounce PBR's for 2 bucks. I'd rather pay 2 bucks for a tall draft of that than the 3 or whatever they charge for a bottle of another BMC.

I've kinda developed an affinity for the stuff over the last couple years...of course as soon as I get home I have to brush my teeth, then I drink a good strong ale.

 

[APendejo]

Alot of people talk smack about PBR. I doubt those people have even tasted one the past year or so. So, do the Heineken vs. PBR test. Have someone open a can of PBR, pour it in a glass then do the same with a CAN of Heineken. Sample each then tell which one was better. You may be surprised.
AP

 

[SRFeldman79]

PBR should win that test on 9 out of 10 taste buds...

 

[Revvy]

Alot of people talk smack about PBR. I doubt those people have even tasted one the past year or so. So, do the Heineken vs. PBR test. Have someone open a can of PBR, pour it in a glass then do the same with a CAN of Heineken. Sample each then tell which one was better. You may be surprised.
AP

I've actually noticed a nice note of Banana Esters in PBR. I don't know what yeast they use...but I like it. Not as much as a good micro brew or one of my own, but sitting with friends after a game, it hits the spot.

 

[david_42]

PBR One ribbon = 114 years of advertising. About the same as their malt/water ratio.

Way back, you could get PBR clone kit in a can.

 

[shafferpilot]

BTW I was assuming all-grain. Are you extract only?

 

[Brentk14]

I went to lane and had a lot of good times at Taylors, cant beat the price of PBR pitchers.

 

[Doog_Si_Reeb]

FWIW

2006 Gold Medal - American Style Lager -> Pabst Blue Ribbon

That's my choice when hanging at the Launchpad in downtown Albuquerque. It almost seems wrong drinking anything else in a dive bar. And there's nothing as retro cool as a PBR. As others have said, it's the one BMC style beer that I still like.

Brewing it sounds like a fun challenge, but not one that I will be up to anytime soon...

 

[Willy Boner]

Check the local distibutors for their dock sales, yout can get cases of beer that is about to go over that born date thing. Cases for 5 bucks!